For readers who crave witty, character-driven space adventures
Two complete, self-contained stories set in the award-winning Project Enterprise universe—mystery and steampunk collide with emotional stakes. Follow Area 51 operative Richard Daniels into a backyard murder tied to a novelist’s uncanny ideas, then ride with Tobias Smith into an alternate Marfa of automatons and airships. Whether you’re a longtime fan or new to the series, these shorts deliver sharp characters, surprising twists, and heartfelt payoff.
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Two Strange Tales of Identity and Adventure
In “Men in Jeans,” Area 51 investigator Richard Daniels is sent to discover where Houston writer Jilly Smith gets her ideas—an assignment that becomes urgent when a dead man turns up in her backyard and fiction and conspiracy begin to overlap. In “Steam Time,” Tobias Smith hitches a ride with Dr. Everly’s Medicine Show toward Marfa and finds himself shoved into an alternate reality of automaton gangs, airships, and startling revelations about who Ani—and Tobias—really are.
These paired stories fuse character-driven science fiction, mystery, and steampunk-flavored adventure, rewarding returning readers with continuity nods while remaining fully accessible to newcomers. If you love serialized worlds, brisk short-form reads, and emotional themes of identity, memory, and found family, this collection gives you high stakes, tender moments, and satisfying resolutions.
Which hidden past will remake them—and are they ready for who they’ll become?
Two Adventures in the Project Enterprise Universe
Mystery, mechanized mischief, and a few familiar faces—dive into two short stories that expand the world you already love.
Need more Project Enterprise? Project Enterprise: The Short Stories collects two complete tales that bring familiar characters back into the spotlight and introduce unexpected twists. First, “Men in Jeans” follows Richard Daniels as a routine assignment at Area 51 becomes anything but—investigating author Jilly Smith’s creative process turns up a corpse, confused motives, and plenty of offbeat humor.
Then, in “Steam Time,” Tobias Smith hitches a ride with Dr. Everly’s Medicine Show and is pulled into an alternate reality of automaton gangs and airships where identities aren’t always what they seem.
These stories are perfect for longtime fans who want more cameos and continuity from the award-winning Project Enterprise universe, and for new readers who enjoy smart, character-driven science fiction with mystery, heart, and a dash of steam-era wonder. Both stories are short, satisfying reads that still deliver strong character arcs, surprising reveals, and the universe-spanning imagination you expect from Pauline Baird Jones.
Grab two complete adventures now—perfect for a single-sitting escape or to savor between novels.
Pauline Baird Jones is the author behind the Project Enterprise universe, known for blending mystery, character depth, and speculative twists. Her short fiction continues the world-building and emotional stakes readers love while welcoming newcomers with compact, complete stories.